Patterson Shows Potential in Loss

Sept. 5, 2010

Junior wide receiver Daymond Patterson may not have been smiling at the end of the night Saturday, but perhaps he had reason to.

In a game which was forgettable for many of the Jayhawks, Patterson was one of the lone bright spots, recording four catches for 66 yards and gaining 63 yards on the ground in KU’s 6-3 loss to North Dakota State.

Patterson, a junior from Mesquite, Texas, enjoyed a break-out game despite his team’s woes on the offensive side of the ball.

“We are pretty shocked in ourselves and the way we played,” junior wide receiver Daymond Patterson said. “I know that’s not the team we are, and we are way better than we showed tonight.”

Patterson’s night began with a carry on a reverse, which netted 51 yards – KU’s biggest play from scrimmage – which was the key in the Jayhawks’ lone scoring drive of the evening.

He later added a nine-yard run and catches of nine, 19, 17 and 21 yards to pace the Kansas offense. His three carries from scrimmage were the first of his career, while his four catches marked his second-most productive day in a Kansas uniform.

According to head Coach Turner Gill, getting the ball to playmakers like Patterson and sophomore wide receiver D.J. Beshears will be a key to turning the offense around.

“We are going to find ways to get them the football and get them in space to make plays for us,” Gill said.

According to Patterson though it will take a lot more than just an adjustment of play calling, but also the way those plays are executed.

“We have the potential,” Patterson said. “We need to hold on to the ball, we need to catch the ball, we need to make blocks, we need to execute, and thats all it comes down to; execution.”

Kansas will work on their execution this week in practice in preparation for their next game which is at home against Georgia Tech, and according to Patterson fans should be reassured that the outcome will be different.

“We won’t play anything like this next week,” he said.